Wednesday, December 4, 2013

SUPPOSE you are a farmer in east Texas during the early 1920's. Your land sits on rolling hills and valleys forrested in spots by pine woods atop sandy red soil. You have just gone to bed and all you can hear are crickets and an occasional hoot owl. You own no radio and no television, but a new Ford automobile is parked next to your barn. Just as you are dropping off to sleep, you are jarred by sounds that you can't believe - a four piece string band playing "The Beaumont Rag" outside your window. You walk outdoors incredulously and listen to "The Sweetest Flower" and the "Arizona Stomp". Eventually, you ask the band what they call themselves. They say, "Why, we're... THE EAST TEXAS SERENADERS
So proclaims the cover of this 1977 LP, another old gem on the County label. Much has been written about this band that bridges the gap between old timey string band music and western swing, so I won't endeavor to add to much myself. Scans of the great sleeve notes are included in the download and the link below provide further reading: